


Everyone Deserves Someone Who Cares

by jedipati



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Divergence - Revenge of the Sith, F/M, Family, Family Don't End in Blood, Fluff, Gen, Politics, Redemption, schism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2018-05-20 23:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 14,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6029284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedipati/pseuds/jedipati
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Mace Windu listens to Anakin Skywalker and tries to arrest Palpatine, the Sith Lord still escapes.  </p>
<p>There is much to be done, both to unravel what Darth Sidious has wrought, and to simply find him.  Anakin has a wild idea, one that everyone thinks is crazy, though Obi-Wan Kenobi is willing to help him.  What if he can save the man he once thought of as a mentor?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue- In which Sidious is Confused

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flamethrower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flamethrower/gifts).



> This originally came out of a tumblr post: http://deadcatwithaflamethrower.tumblr.com/post/135520600364/one-of-the-things-that-i-honestly-love-about
> 
> Basically, it pointed out how pretty much every bad guy possible as been given the opportunity for redemption in one fanfiction or another. Every bad guy except Palpatine. So, me being... well, me, I thought "oh, there's a challenge" and started writing. This has ballooned, and honestly, it's all thanks to that tumblr post. I have no idea how long it's going to be, though I do know where it's going. I hope you enjoy the ride!

Sidious sat back in his chair in thought. The past two weeks had not gone well at all. Two weeks ago, he’d told Anakin who he was, expecting Anakin to tell the Jedi. When four Jedi Masters had come to his office, the fight had been brutal, but exactly what he’d expected. It was only when Windu had apparently won and Anakin had arrived that things had gone wrong. Anakin had, as expected, trying to reason with Windu. He’d expected Windu to press the attack, forcing Anakin to make his choice.

Yet Windu had listened to Anakin, and backed down. Sidious had been forced to jump out the shattered window to avoid capture. And yet… Anakin had been so relieved that Windu hadn’t killed him. It wasn’t just because Anakin thought Sidious could teach him, he’d felt simple relief that Sidious himself was alive.

Why? Why would Anakin do that? Sidious had just spent the last thirteen years manipulating Anakin. He’d spent the last thirteen years doing his best to turn Anakin. So why did Anakin care that Sidious was still alive?

It just didn’t make sense. Anakin should hate him. Anakin should be leading the charge to find and kill him. But… Anakin wasn’t. Anakin was, in fact, apparently avoiding the Jedi, with the unsurprising exception of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Kenobi, too, was more often in Anakin’s company than any other Jedi’s. Sidious had lost most of his intelligence sources, but apparently Anakin was outright ignoring any summons by the Jedi Council. Kenobi was only appearing in council meetings by hologram, even though he was back on Coruscant. It was obvious to anyone who took the time to look that some sort of rift was developing between the Jedi Order and Anakin and Kenobi. Sidious didn’t understand it. Windu’s failure to kill Sidious should have mended the relationship between Anakin and the Jedi, but it hadn’t.

Some of it seemed to be the Jedi’s insistence that Anakin renounce Amidala, but there was something else to it. Sidious couldn’t get enough information to figure it out, but apparently, Anakin no longer considered himself a Jedi. How Kenobi figured into it, Sidious didn’t know. Kenobi was a proper Jedi, and should be distancing himself from Anakin, not the other Jedi. Instead, he seemed more interested in spending time with Anakin, Amidala, and Anakin’s twin children.

Sludge news reporters, desperate for any story about Anakin, had taken pictures of Anakin, or Amidala, or even Kenobi, holding the children (even Sidious could admit the children were adorable). One short video, already popular the galaxy over, showed Anakin and Kenobi on Amidala’s balcony, each holding a child, while Anakin apparently told the children (and Kenobi) a story. Kenobi couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off the child he held.

So, for two weeks, the galaxy had been in turmoil, but slowly settling into something resembling calm, most of Sidious’ plots were failing, and leaders on both sides of the civil war were starting to reach out to each other, suddenly aware of how they had been manipulate. And all the while, the Jedi hunted for Sidious. But not Anakin, and not Kenobi.

Sidious didn’t understand it. Anakin should be… well, the boy had made his choice to stay in the Light, so Sidious supposed Anakin would be doing his best not to be angry. But Anakin didn’t actually seem all that upset in the few press conferences he’d been forced into. When someone mentioned “Palpatine”, Anakin had merely appeared sad, though he never really said anything. He would instead (none too subtly, but that was part of Anakin’s charm) change the subject.

Anakin was, aside for when he was with Amidala and his children, spending most of his time in the Senate, working with some of Amidala’s allies. Kenobi appeared to be acting as a Jedi liaison to the group though, again, he only reported to the Jedi Council by holo or commlink. 

Nothing about Anakin’s actions made sense to Sidious. The boy was apparently going to ignore everything to do with the Jedi and Sith for as long as possible. And through it all, Sidious still couldn’t find any hint that Anakin hated him. And Jedi or no, Anakin should have at least been furious at him for his deceptions. But Sidious still couldn’t feel anything of the sort, not even when he meditated. He’d noted anger, mostly at Anakin himself, and a resigned understanding of what Sidious’ revelations meant, but not hatred for Sidious himself.

And Sidious couldn’t understand it.


	2. In which Obi-Wan is captivated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter that is already written- any others will come when they come. I can't promise when, or how long they will be. But more will eventually be written.

Obi-Wan knew he had things he had to do. The Senate committee trying to root out Palpatine’s corruption was meeting in less than an hour, and he should be there. He’d been working with them since he had returned to Coruscant, after all. And he really did need to report the results of the last probe to the Jedi Council, even if he would have to endure yet more questioning on when he was going to return to the Temple (preferably dragging Anakin with him). And he needed to spend more time with Anakin in meditation, getting both of them back to an even keel after- well, everything. The hunt for Palpatine needed to begin. He probably had reports to read and write, too. And he knew Anakin was starting to plan something, probably something insane, and Obi-Wan really should find out what.

And then there were the clones, and how he needed to check on his men, and make sure all of them were getting those chips out (he and Anakin had sat there, practically in a feedback loop of horror when the committee had discovered the slave chips, and what they could make the clones do.) And he needed to make sure they were all doing well, with the sudden upheaval they were all experiencing.

He should probably get in contact with some of his less savory acquaintances, ask them how things were looking out in the galaxy.

He had so much to do, and he knew it.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to get up from the couch he was sitting on. He couldn’t even bring himself to look up from the small burden he was holding.

Luke Skywalker yawned, blinked baby blue eyes open for a moment before sighing and closing his eyes again to fall asleep. Obi-Wan cradled the baby close and reached out through the Force to simply feel the little one’s presence.

Luke and Leia had captivated Obi-Wan practically from the moment they were born. When he wasn’t working, he would be found holding one or the other of them as they slept. To be fair, he wasn’t the only one. Anakin was beating him out in sheer time spent with the twins, and Padmé as well.

Somehow, that wasn’t much comfort. Anakin and Padmé were the twins’ parents, they were supposed to be besotted. He wasn’t even related to them, for all that he thought of Anakin as a brother. And yet their Force presences were captivating.

Luke yawned but didn’t wake. Obi-Wan smiled as he sat back. He could rest a moment. But only a moment. He had too much to do. Anakin wandered in holding Leia. After a moment, Obi-Wan shifted slightly, so Anakin could sit next to him. They didn’t say anything as they watched the twins sleep.

When Padmé found them two hours later, they were all fast asleep, the twins still held safe in the arms of their father and uncle. She smiled and left to let Bail know Obi-Wan was a little busy right now, but he’ll probably be able to help later.


	3. In which Anakin explains things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I make up some history in the GFFA.

Padmé Amidala waited until dinner was over and the twins were in bed. The two Jedi were waiting for her out in the sitting room, sitting across from each other on the couches. Obi-Wan was bent over a datapad, reading a report, while Anakin was focused on another, writing a different report.

“Anakin could you…” Obi-Wan hadn’t even finished before Anakin handed him a stylus. “Thank you.”

“Hmmm,” Anakin muttered as he typed up another line in whatever report he was working on.

Padmé had to stifle her laughter. She’d already lost track of how many times she’d come across this scene in the almost three weeks since Palpatine had been revealed. Obi-Wan had arrived on Coruscant after defeating Grievous, after Anakin had walked away from the Jedi, after everything, and hadn’t demanded anything from Anakin. He’d just been there for him. He’d listened as Anakin poured out everything that had happened, and had been a steady rock for Anakin to lean on. He’d even taken Anakin’s side when the Jedi Council had yelled at the younger man over the comms.

It had earned him his own bout of being yelled at, and his own completely willing exile from the Jedi Temple.

Padmé had offered Obi-Wan one of her extra bedrooms, and now it was normal to see Anakin and Obi-Wan working on reports together in the evenings after the twins were asleep.

“Anakin,” Padmé said as she sat down on the couch next to him.

“Hmmm?” Anakin asked.

“Anakin,” Padmé repeated, a little sharper.

Anakin jerked and looked at her. “Padmé?” he asked.

“The three of us need to have a talk, Ani,” she said.

Obi-Wan snorted, like he nearly always did at Anakin’s nickname, but he obediently saved his place and turned off his datapad. “What is it, Padmé?” he asked. It had taken her nearly a week to get him to call her by her name, and not by one of her titles.

“Anakin, you’re up to something,” Padmé said.

Anakin sighed. “No,” he said. “I’m… thinking about something, but I don’t know if I can do it, and I definitely wasn’t going to do anything until I talked to you both.”

“Well, that’s a change,” Obi-Wan joked.

Anakin glared for a moment before sighed. “Yeah, I suppose,” he conceded.

“What are you planning?” Padmé asked.

Anakin ran his artificial hand through his hair. “It’s not even that far along,” he admitted. “I don’t even know if I want to do this yet.”

Padmé took his other hand and squeezed gently. “Ani, tell us.”

Anakin shook his head and looked down before looking over at Obi-Wan. “I did some research, Obi-Wan,” he said. “As much as I could without going to the Temple. History records nearly two dozen Jedi who Fell and then returned to the Light, or Sith who turned away from the Dark Side. And that’s just in the last two thousand years. Most of earlier in that time, but there are at least seven in the last five hundred years. All seven were Jedi, of course.” 

Obi-Wan’s eyes widened. “But… that’s not…”

“I checked, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said. “We’re taught that it’s impossible, that if you Fall, you will never return, but that’s not what happens. It can be done. It has been done.”

Padmé looked back and forth. She didn’t even pretend to understand the Force and the Dark Side and the light, but this was obviously incredible news to Obi-Wan.

“It must be so incredibly difficult,” Obi-Wan breathed.

Anakin nodded. “The power of the Dark Side is so seductive, so easy, it must take an incredible amount of will to turn away from it after Falling.”

“And a reason,” Obi-Wan said. He still looked stunned.

“From what I can tell, there always was one. Over half of them turned from the Dark to save the life of a family member. Children, most often, but also siblings, once a parent, and three of them to save a spouse. The other half varied, but three Jedi Masters returned to save their last Padawans, and the rest were a mixed bag- but it was always for someone.”

Obi-Wan blew out a breath. “Why are we never taught this?” he asked.

Anakin shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“Does it matter?” Padmé risked asking.

Obi-Wan flattened his lips. “Yes, it matters! We’re should know these things. We need… we should know. We’re taught it’s impossible to return from the Dark Side. ‘Once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny.’ We’re taught that if someone Falls, we have to give up on them. That they’re already dead.”

“But if it’s not true…” Padmé said.

“Then that means we can do something,” Anakin said.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes. “Anakin. What in all the worlds made you go looking for that information in the first place?”

“I wanted to know,” Anakin said. “I thought I knew things, then I find I don’t, and I just wanted to know if the absolutes I had been taught were true. Some of them are. That one isn’t.”

“What do you think we should do with this information?” Padmé asked. There had to be a reason he was bringing this up. She couldn’t see what that was, but there had to be one.

“I’m not sure,” Anakin said. “But there’s more. There’s nearly the same amount of Sith that didn’t renounce the Dark Side, but they still chose to fight against the Sith that tried to take over the galaxy. They allied with Jedi, and other Force Users, those who stayed in the Light. Those… partnerships, for lack of a better word, were some of the best the galaxy has ever known. Obi-Wan, you know the story of Master Imnir and Master Urilera, right?”

“Of course,” Obi-Wan said. “One of the most successful working teams the Jedi had ever seen. They worked together about 1500 years ago to take down a group of Sith who had conquered over fifty systems. A lot of the younglings compare you and I to them.”

Anakin swallowed. “We’re not taught it, but Master Imnir was actually Lord Imnir,” he said. “He stopped trying to take over the galaxy because he fell in love with Master Urilera.”

Obi-Wan sat back. “Anakin… everything you’re saying is…”

“It’s attachment, Obi-Wan. Attachment let the Fallen return,” Anakin said. “And I think, maybe, it can again.”

“What do you mean?” Padmé asked.

Anakin licked his lips and swallowed. “I think… I want to find Palpatine. I want to give him a reason to leave the Dark Side, or at least stop trying to take over the galaxy.”

Padmé stared at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Obi-Wan’s jaw drop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Anakin has his goal, now. And Obi-Wan and Padme know it. And probably think he's insane.


	4. In which they try to psychoanalyze Sidious

Anakin shifted uneasily. Padmé and Obi-Wan had both been staring at him for nearly a minute now.

He knew his idea was one of his not so smart ones, but he didn’t think it was worth this amount of silence. 

Finally, Padmé blinked and shook herself. “Anakin?” she asked.

“Why?” Obi-Wan added.

Anakin gave a shuddering sigh. “I’m… not sure,” he admitted. “Palpatine, I know he wanted me to be his next apprentice, I know he only tried to befriend me and mentor me because he wanted me to turn, but…”

“He still befriended you and mentored you,” Obi-Wan said softly. “He was there for you when you needed someone to give you something I couldn’t.”

Anakin shook his head. “Not quite like that, Master,” he said. He and Obi-Wan were two very different men, and it wasn’t Obi-Wan’s fault he’d been raised differently.

“Yes, it was like that, Padawan mine,” Obi-Wan said. “But I think you’re trying to say that it wasn’t entirely my fault, and I can agree with that. But do you think you can do it?”

Anakin swallowed. “I don’t know. I’ll need help. If he can, he’ll still try to turn me. I… know what I’ll become if I turn. And maybe I can turn back, but I don’t want to risk it.”

Obi-Wan studied him for a long moment. Finally, he took a deep breath and nodded. “Why do you think you can be the one to potentially turn him? Or at least get him to let go of his plans to rule the galaxy?”

Anakin looked down. “For the same reason any Dark being turns,” he said. “He spent thirteen years trying to turn me. It might be because of my strength in the Force, but he could have taken over the galaxy a decade ago if he wasn’t waiting for me to grow up. That means…”

“In his own way, he might care for you,” Padmé continued. “It’s…”

“Undeniably twisted,” Obi-Wan finished. “But he might have wanted to turn you to keep you from dying the way he planned for the rest of the Jedi.”

Anakin nodded. He wasn’t sure if that was the real reason Palpatine had tried to turn him, but it felt right, in a way the other theories didn’t. Obi-Wan clearly felt the same thing. Padmé didn’t know, but she was apparently content to leave the Force part of the equation to the Jedi. “But will he want to give up his plans?” she asked.

Anakin made a face in thought. “He almost doesn’t have a choice,” he said. “I mean, since I found out who he is, we’ve been dismantling his plans,” he paused. “And by we, I mean your little group of rebel senators, and everyone who’s been working with them.”

She hit him over the head at his description of her group. Obi-Wan leaned forward. “That doesn’t mean he doesn’t has some scheme in mind as a backup.”

“He probably does,” Anakin admitted. “Knowing him, it’s probably well thought out, too.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Anakin,” he started, then frowned. “It’s risky,” he said.

“I know,” Anakin said. “That’s why I’m not sure if I should even try.”

Obi-Wan looked up at the ceiling in thought. “I think… he needs to be found, no doubt about that,” he said. “And his plans for the galaxy need to be stopped. Is this the right way to do it? I don’t know. But I feel… this may be the only way.”

Padmé stood up. “I want to believe this is possible,” she said. “I don’t know the Force like you do, but I know… I thought I knew Palpatine. The man I knew couldn’t have all been a mask, could it?”

Anakin sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know. Some of it was a mask- he is a power hungry Sith Lord after all. But I have to believe that some of it was real.”

They were silent for a moment. “You know that this won’t be easy,” Obi-Wan said.

“I know,” Anakin said. “But easy isn’t always the best way.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “It rarely is,” he agreed. He took a deep breath and nodded. “Aright. I’ll help you, Anakin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we officially know the plan. Anakin still worries about Falling- he probably always will. I don't know how much Sidious actually did care about Anakin, but I believe he seriously could have destroyed the Jedi and the Republic years earlier, but Anakin wasn't ready. How much of that was trying to slap the Jedi in the face by turning the Chosen One, I don't know. Probably some of it was revenge on Obi-Wan, too, an apprentice for an apprentice. But... was it all that? 
> 
> Now, in canon, there's not doubt that he's evil and would easily replace Vader. "Take your father's place at my side," after all. In this universe, or at this time, he's a bit more attached. How much, and if it's enough? We'll see.


	5. In which Sidious is still confused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I get the impression that the chapters from Sidious' POV are going to be shorter than any of the others. Poor guy is really just confused.

Sidious glared down at his datapad. Anakin and Kenobi were up to something. He didn’t know what, and he didn’t know why, but they were definitely planning something. He’d seen enough of Anakin’s behavior in the war to know. 

Anakin and Kenobi had abruptly changed their behavior. He’d gotten news that Kenobi had- finally- contacted the Jedi Council, and while he hadn’t heard exactly how that had gone, the man had returned to the Jedi Temple. Of course, he still spent most of his time with the Senators trying to dismantle Sidious’ planned Empire, and therefore, with Anakin.

Sidious sighed. Clearly, it would be impossible to break the bond between Anakin and Kenobi now.

It was a shame, because Anakin would be so powerful if he’d just let himself realize it. 

Anakin was apparently working with Kenobi on something related to Sidious’ old hideout on Coruscant. Sidious missed his old networks. If he had the access he’d had, he would know what they were doing. 

But now, he had to guess. And Anakin wasn’t making it easy. He was working hard at… something.

It was infuriating. He knew Anakin, better than he knew most beings. He should be able to predict what the boy was going to do.

But the reports he was able to get of Anakin and Kenobi in his old hideout, apparently studying the star charts, just confused him. He supposed they could be searching for him, but everything else about Anakin’s actions didn’t support that. Anakin didn’t seem to want to kill him. He was sad, and Sidious had felt betrayal and anger from him, but not hate, before Sidious had found the need to flee Coruscant entirely.

Sidious sighed. That boy just did not make sense. It was impossible to tell what he was planning. He supposed he’d encouraged the boy’s unpredictability a bit too much.


	6. In which Obi-Wan studies, among other things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait, folks, but I'm now pretty sure I've got the rest of this story at least loosely outlined. I at least know where I'm going with the Jedi Order now! (Plus, I'm fairly certain of the big Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Palpatine confrontation, and where it will take place.)

Obi-Wan smiled slightly as he made another note on his pad. He was trying to confirm what Anakin had discovered in the Temple Library. That was the only reason he had returned to the Temple.

He had been completely and thoroughly disillusioned by the Jedi Order upon his return to Coruscant. That Master Windu had blamed Anakin for Sidious’ escape, after Anakin had kept the man from killing the Sith in cold blood, and the rest of the Council had supported it. That they hadn’t even been willing to call Anakin in to get his side of the story. Obi-Wan had had to ask later, and Anakin had pointed out how that wasn’t the Jedi way, and that Mace had been about to Fall. Anakin had also pointed out that the Council wouldn’t have believed him.

Obi-Wan had returned to the Temple, packed all the clothes he had that weren’t Jedi Robes, and returned to Padmé’s apartment to ask for help finding a place to stay. He’d tried to convince Padmé that he didn’t need to stay with them, but she’d used the most powerful weapon of persuasion she could- she’d handed him Luke. After that, he’d at least had the sense to concede the fight gracefully, when she had such weapons at her command.

And now he was back at the Temple, though he hadn’t talked to any of the other Council Masters and was doing his best to avoid them. He was currently reading a treatise on Master Imnir and Master Urilera and their missions.

This was a Master level text, one Anakin wouldn’t have had access to. And it was exactly as Anakin had described. Lord Imnir had been a Twi’lek Sith Lord of some power and prestige. Master Urilera had been a Corellian Jedi Knight sent to try to spy on him. She’d been found out, but he’d simply used her to feed false information to the Republic. She’d figured that out, but stayed, in the hopes of mitigating some of his excesses. Somewhere in there, her strength of will had impressed him and he’d started to work with her against a rival group of Sith.

Obi-Wan bit his lip and tried not to laugh out loud as he read the minutes from the Council meeting when Imnir had offered his aid. The Masters at the time had spend hours arguing about it, but in the end, they’d decided they needed the help more than they needed to kill a Sith Lord that wasn’t actively murdering others.

But they’d been an effective team, for all that she was a Jedi Master and he was a Sith Lord. They’d never had children, nor had either of them ever taken on a student, but they lived the rest of their lives together, even dying together in a sacrifice play that destroyed a Sith Empire fifty years after they first worked together. Clearly, they had loved each other, enough to make compromises and work through their differences.

Obi-Wan made a few more notes and then carefully set the text down. As he did so, Windu sat down in front of him. “Master Windu,” he said evenly.

“Master Kenobi,” Windu replied. “How is Skywalker?” he added.

“Anakin is fine,” Obi-Wan said. “As is Padmé.”

“And the twins?”

“Still not sleeping through the night,” Obi-Wan said ruefully. “But, again, they’re only three weeks old.”

“I see,” Windu said. “When do you think they’ll be ready for the crèche?”

Obi-Wan took a deep breath, then another. “I believe that’s up to Anakin and Padmé,” he said. “And I’m not going to ask him. He’s not happy with the Order right now. Not that I blame him.”

“Those children are too strong to be allowed to go without training,” Windu replied.

“And Anakin can train them to control their powers, if need be. And so can I.” 

Windu narrowed his eyes. “Let me rephrase that,” he said. “Anakin is a Jedi, as are you. Those children must be trained as Jedi, in the Temple.”

“I believe that’s up to their parents, as I said before,” Obi-Wan replied. “And I get the impression that Anakin is only a Jedi because the Council doesn’t want to throw out the man who discovered the Sith Master, and he doesn’t want to return to the Temple long enough to resign.”

Windu’s lips flattened. “He broke the code,” he snapped.

“Yes, he did,” Obi-Wan said. “And Anakin had told me that he’d be happy to resign, if only he didn’t have to appear before the Council to be berated for things that had nothing to do with him. And that was a near exact quote. I only took out the Huttese curses.” Obi-Wan smiled, razor sharp.

Windu sat back, a hard look in his eyes. “You would side with him,” he accused. “You’d forsake the Order yourself to stay on Skywalker’s side. Skywalker is contaminated by the Sith Lord, that much is obvious, Master Kenobi. If you’re not careful, the same will happen to you.”

Obi-Wan took another deep breath, sudden certainty falling over him. “Call a Council meeting,” he ordered. “I have to make a call.” He stood up and carefully picked up his stack of reference material to return to the front desk. It was time to hash this out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, things are heating up for this little subplot. Hopefully, you won't have to wait too long for the next part. (And yes, Obi-Wan is completely enamored of the twins, and Padmé isn't afraid to use that.)


	7. In which Anakin makes his choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Another Chapter in less than a month?

Anakin flicked on the comlink absently. “How goes the research, Obi-Wan?” he asked.

“Well enough. I found some material that agrees with your own research. I’ll tell you about it tonight,” Obi-Wan said. “But that’s not why I called. I’ve called a Council meeting. How soon can you be here?”

Anakin took a deep breath and looked down at himself. He wasn’t in Jedi robes, just trousers and shirt, with a vest over that, but that didn’t matter. His lightsaber was, as always, on his belt. “Call it… fifteen minutes,” he figured. “I’m at the Senate right now. Are you sure?”

Obi-Wan sighed. “Considering the conversation I just had with Master Windu, yes.”

Anakin nodded, forgetting for a moment that Obi-Wan couldn’t see him. “I’ll be there.”

Obi-Wan didn’t bother saying anything in farewell, just cut the channel. Anakin was sure he’d picked that up from Cody.

Anakin looked up and made his excuses to the Senators he’d been talking with.

He called Padmé on the way and left a message for her to warn her about what was likely to happen.

He entered the Temple and made his way to the Council chambers without hesitation. He’d known for years that this day would come. He couldn’t say he was upset about it, either. At least he knew that Obi-Wan wouldn’t turn against him, like he’d feared before. That made this almost easy to handle.

Anakin entered and headed for the center of the room. He wasn’t even going to try to claim the seat that had been his for less than two weeks. The Councilors on Coruscant also entered and took their seats.

As he’d expected, his seat had been filled, though Anakin didn’t immediately recognize the Master that had taken it. The three seats belonging to the Jedi Masters who had died were also filled.

“Skywalker,” Windu said. “What are you doing here?”

“Master Kenobi called me and asked me to come,” Anakin replied.

Windu didn’t look happy. “And you couldn’t come before now?”

Anakin sighed. “After you blamed me for everything that went wrong three weeks ago, I didn’t think it would be wise.” He kept his tone as level as he could. “Not for anyone.”

Obi-Wan shifted in his seat. “I asked Anakin here, so he could answer your accusations, Master Windu,” Obi-Wan said. “I felt he had the right to know what you are saying about him.”

Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan. His friend did not look happy. If it were Anakin himself, he would have said that the man looked to be barely holding his temper by a thread.

Oh, this was going to be bad. Anakin opened himself to the Force, ready for what might not be a physical battle, but was certainly going to be a battle of words.

He felt Obi-Wan’s reassurance that he was on Anakin’s side, and nodded. “What is it you’re saying about me, Master Windu?” he asked.

Windu scowled at Obi-Wan, then transferred his glare to Anakin. “You have broken the code, Skywalker,” he snapped.

“I have,” Anakin said. “I am fully prepared to leave the Order because of it.”

Windu blinked, apparently surprised. Anakin carefully didn’t smirk. He wasn’t upset at a true accusation like that, so what was Obi-Wan talking about?

“Perhaps, Master Windu, you should tell Anakin, and the rest of the Council, what else you told me about him,” Obi-Wan said. For all that it was phrased nicely, his tone was hard and unyielding.

Windu sighed. “I don’t think he needs to know.”

“And would you rather I tell everyone?” Obi-Wan snapped. “Because if you don’t, I will. Now.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. The last time he’d seen Obi-Wan this angry… was actually not that long ago, just after Obi-Wan had returned to Coruscant the last time. But before that? It’d been years.

Anakin flicked a quick sense of calm toward his former Master, who glanced at him and then returned his attention to Windu.

The other human scowled. “Very well,” he said. “Skywalker. I remain unconvinced that you are untainted by the Sith, and I believe your children would be safer well away from you.”

Anakin blinked, and suddenly he understood exactly what Windu was saying. “With or without parental approval, I take it,” he hissed, pushing his anger to the side. Now was not the time to get angry. Not when it might prove Windu’s point, if only to the other Masters.

Windu brought his chin up. “They are too powerful to remain with their parents.”

“Never,” Anakin said, voice clear and sharp. “I will never let you have my children, Master Windu. Should you ever attempt to take them, you will find the full force of my reputation and that of my wife’s, will fall upon the Jedi Order.” He kept his anger at bay, still. He dropped into the now rarely used language of his childhood. ~No more will my family be torn apart by Masters.~ He shook his head hard. “No, Masters,” he said, back in Basic. “Luke and Leia will not become a part of the Jedi Order, no matter what you do.”

He felt Obi-Wan’s approval. The rest of the Council looked stunned. “Do you think you have a choice, Skywalker?” Windu asked.

Anakin lifted his head. “Children follow the Mother,” he said calmly, though he knew only Obi-Wan would know what that meant.

“It is his and Padmé’s choice,” Obi-Wan interjected. “No matter what. I don’t think we’re going to get anything done on that topic.”

Anakin took a deep breath and made his decision. He turned away from the front of the room and faced Obi-Wan directly. “It is clear to me, Master, that nothing more will come of this,” he said formally. Obi-Wan knew exactly what was about to happen, and though Anakin felt a flash of sadness from him, he also felt agreement and a sense of rightness. Anakin pulled his lightsaber from his belt. “I, Anakin Skywalker, do hereby renounce my title of Jedi Knight and with it my affiliation with the Jedi Order.” He handed his lightsaber to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sighed and took the weapon. “Go, then, Anakin Skywalker, to the life you have chosen. Know that you will always be remembered for your time with us,” he replied formally. “Should you chose to return, our doors will always be open to you, so long as you walk in the Light.”

Anakin smiled and turned to walk out of the Council chamber, ignoring the uproar just beginning behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of end notes: I got the concept of "Children follow the mother" is from fialleril, over on tumblr, as well as the idea that Anakin is not a native Basic speaker. His childhood language would have been a slave's language. Fialleril has some awesome headcanons about such things.


	8. In which the Jedi Council Messes UP

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we are again. This is one of the pivot points, and I'm setting up the secondary plot, and secondary antagonists in this and the next couple of chapters.
> 
> This isn't going to end well for the Council...

Yoda did not move as the rest of the council all began talking at once. Obi-Wan remained quiet, even as several other Councilors were asking him accusing questions.

“Order, we will have,” Yoda finally said, in a momentary lull. 

Obi-Wan looked down at the lightsaber he was holding, expression pensive.

“You’re not surprised, Kenobi,” Mace accused. 

“No, I’m not,” Obi-Wan declared. “After everything, I knew Anakin would leave the Order. I hoped it would be on better terms, but he’s right, this isn’t the place for him any longer.”

“You think he’s right about his twins,” Mace added.

“It’s the parents decision, Master Windu,” Obi-Wan said. “It always has been. That’s not going to change just because one of the parents used to be a Jedi.”

“But it’s Skywalker,” Mace protested. “We know he’s tainted by the Sith.”

“No,” Obi-Wan snapped. “You think he’s tainted, just because he’s disagreeing with the Order, with the Code.” Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed. “I wonder how the rest of the Council feels?”

“It is Skywalker’s choice,” Plo Koon said. “His and Amidala’s. Neither are Jedi, so we cannot compel them. And it would not end well if we did.”

Obi-Wan smiled at the Kel Dor Master.

Argument erupted again. Again, Obi-Wan stayed quiet. No one was exactly happy about Skywalker and his twins, and there was debate about what to do.

Yoda looked down. “Chosen, Skywalker and Amidala have, to keep their children. Their right, it is. But persuade them, we must. The children must become Jedi.”

Obi-Wan scowled. “Why?” he challenged. “Why can Anakin not train them outside the Order? They are twins, Master Yoda, and they are bonded to each other. The Order would not be a good place for them. And there are those who would take their parentage against them.”

Mace stiffened. “Are you accusing Jedi teachers of bias?”

“I am merely stating facts. There are Jedi who never treated Anakin Skywalker fairly. They wouldn’t treat Luke and Leia Skywalker fairly.”

Yoda could feel something in the Force. Something was about to happen. He knew that he couldn’t let whatever it was happen, so he interjected. “Jedi training, young Skywalker will not give them.”

Obi-Wan tilted his head. “Wouldn’t he?” he asked mildly. “Or is it just that he wouldn’t give them training you would approve of?”

Yoda stared at him. This was far beyond anything Obi-Wan had done before, this defiance.

“Jedi training, it would not be, because attached, he is. Attached they would become!”

“He’s their father, of course he’s attached,” Obi-Wan dismissed. “And Luke and Leia are twins. They’re already bonded to each other, as I’m sure I’ve already explained. They can’t help but be attached.”

“And that is precisely why they must be taken into the temple. They might be twins, but if we place them in separate clans and never let them interact, we’ll be able to keep their bond suppressed, and they can become proper Jedi. But we must do it soon,” Ki-Adi-Mundi said.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes again and turned to face Mundi. “So you think we should just take the twins, no matter what the parents wish?”

“Yes,” Mundi said. “In fact… we have the perfect means to do so.”

Obi-Wan scowled. “Me, you mean,” he said. “You expect me to just take the twins.”

“You are a Jedi, Master Kenobi. It would be your duty to the order.”

Obi-Wan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He turned his head to look at Yoda. “And would you agree with him, Master Yoda?” he asked.

Yoda could feel that his answer would be far more important than most would think. He stopped to think, rather than immediately answer. Finally he nodded. “Train the children, we must. Take them in, we must. Bring them without confrontation, you can.”

“No.”

There was a small flurry of murmurs at Obi-Wan’s flat disagreement.

“Explain,” Yoda demanded.

“I will not bring Luke and Leia to the Temple,” he said. “Anakin, as their father, has already declared that they will not be turned over to the Jedi. That is his right, as a parent, by Republic law. This entire discussion is wrong, and I will have no more part of it.”

“And if we order you to do your duty as Jedi?” Mace challenged.

Obi-Wan took another deep breath, then seemed to relax as he made a decision. Yoda’s eyes widened. This was not what he expected, but he was sure he knew exactly what was about to happen.

Obi-Wan stood up and stepped in front of Yoda’s seat. He held out both Skywalker’s lightsaber and his own. “There is no further use in this conversation,” he declared. “I, Obi-Wan Kenobi, do hereby renounce my title of Jedi Master and with it my affiliation with the Jedi Order.” 

Yoda didn’t take the lightsabers. “Mean this, you do not,” he proclaimed.

“Oh, but I do,” Obi-Wan said. “I can no longer be a Jedi, not if we are to be a group that condemns those who search for other ways to serve, not if the Jedi wish to take children against their parent’s wishes. I am no longer a Jedi, so take the lightsabers, Master Yoda, or I will leave them on the floor!”

Yoda nodded. “Than accept your resignation, I do. Welcome, you will always be.” He took the two lightsabers and watched as Obi-Wan headed for the door. 

Just before he left, Obi-Wan paused. “Oh, Master Mundi? I will be telling both Anakin and Padmé what you wanted me to do. We will not allow the Jedi to forcibly take the twins. So I would rethink any plans you might have for them. And you should stop allowing your fears to rule you.” He left, the doors closing behind him with a strange sort of finality.

This time, the departing man left only silence behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That didn't go at all the way you planned, did it Master Yoda? 
> 
> Yes, the Jedi Order, and mostly the Council, will continue to be an issue for Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Padme. They are not bad guys, just antagonists. They're going to be doing what they think is best for the Republic, and the twins. Unfortunately, as Obi-Wan said, they're being ruled by fear. This will lead to some problems, to put it mildly.


	9. In which Mace Windu is completely wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I thought it might be a good idea to get into Mace Windu's head for a bit. See what he's thinking. Why he's acting the way he's acting.
> 
> Oh.

Mace Windu stared out the window at the city below. He wasn’t truly seeing it. The day had started so well, with the news that Obi-Wan had finally returned to the temple, and had ended so poorly, with Skywalker and then Kenobi leaving the Jedi Order.

He could understand why Skywalker had left, after all. The boy was incapable of following the Code, the only surprise was that it had taken so long. But Obi-Wan? What had happened, that the man would chose to leave? He’d become one of the best Jedi the Order had… and then he’d sided with Skywalker.

Why? What would make Obi-Wan chose such a path? Skywalker, at least, had truly been too old to train, and they shouldn’t have changed their minds all those years ago.

Perhaps that was the problem. Skywalker had corrupted Kenobi, just as Sidious had corrupted Skywalker. The damage to Kenobi probably wasn’t as extensive, because Skywalker hadn’t been trying, but he’d Attached himself to Kenobi, and opened the older man up to Attachments.

Mace swallowed as he thought. Who else had… No. Skywalker hadn’t had many friends in the Temple, and while in earlier years Mace had worried about the boy, now he could only be glad. They could have lost more than just two Jedi.

But now, they had to worry about the newborn twins. They were so strong in the Force, and Skywalker had completely and utterly refused to give them to the Temple. They had to be trained, and from as early an age as possible, or the problems they’d had with Skywalker would just repeat themselves.

Unfortunately, Kenobi had been unwilling to help the Council make Skywalker see sense. He’d argued with them, stubbornly refusing to give way, until finally he’d handed Master Yoda both his own and Skywalker’s lightsabers and repeated Skywalker’s declaration of intent to leave the Order. He’d looked sad, but resolute.

While Skywalker’s resignation had not been much of a surprise, Obi-Wan’s had shocked the Council. Yoda had all but wilted as Obi-Wan left the room, probably for the last time.

Mace sighed and ran his hand over his head. For once, he wished he had hair that he could ruffle as he thought. They’d just lost two of the most popular Jedi. And to what? Attachment, and surely, sooner or later, Darkness. For all that he didn’t like to think of Obi-Wan that way, there was little hope. Obi-Wan would follow Skywalker anywhere, and would no doubt end up following him down into the Darkness. And Skywalker would Fall, too tainted by Sidious to do anything else. They would have to be stopped, eventually. But how?

They were too popular, and the people of the Republic would not condone a preemptive strike. They had political backing, in Senator Amidala and her allies. And they were too strong together to simply kill them in a way that looked like an accident. And if they waited, Skywalker would Fall, would pull Obi-Wan with him, and the galaxy would be as endangered as if Sidious had won.

They couldn’t wait, they couldn’t strike yet…

Mace Windu didn’t know what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mace, Mace, Mace...
> 
> You are so far off base you're in another ballpark.


	10. In which plans are made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Cringe* Sorry about the long wait, folks. I had some writers block on this story, and I couldn't seem to write more than a hundred words at a time.

Padmé narrowed her eyes as she entered the apartment. Anakin was sitting on the floor, playing with the twins, which wasn’t unusual. There was something in the way he was sitting that was, however, that told her something big had happened. “What happened?” she asked.

Anakin carefully set Luke down on the blanket next to Leia. “Things finally came to a head with the Council. Windu accused me of a few things, and I resigned from the Order,” he said, in that even tone of voice that meant he was ruthlessly controlling what he was feeling.

“Oh, Ani,” she breathed.

He managed a smile. “We knew this would happen,” he said. “We’ve known it for years. We only put it off because of the war. And Ahsoka,” he added.

“And neither are a factor now,” Padmé agreed. She managed to sit down in her dress, though she knew he’d need to help her up. She reached down and put her hand on Luke’s back, rubbing gently. Her son sighed but didn’t otherwise react. “There’s more.”

Anakin’s smile twisted. “Windu said I was too dangerous to leave Luke and Leia in our care. I told him that I would never let the Jedi Order have them.”

Padmé was a politician. More, she had infant twins. She knew Anakin could feel the sudden fury, but nothing showed in her voice and she kept her hand light against Luke’s back.

“Exactly,” Anakin said, in response to her reaction in the Force. “Obi-Wan was about as angry as I was, as you are. I gave him my lightsaber and left the Order right after that.”

He looked up and to the side as Obi-Wan guided a speeder to her landing platform and got out. He looked tired. Padmé noticed immediately that he wasn’t wearing a lightsaber, but she didn’t say anything.

Anakin did. “Master? What did you do?”

“What I needed to do,” Obi-Wan said quietly. “They weren’t listening, no one was willing to change. I… can’t stay there any longer, no more than you can. Not after they tried to order me to just take the twins, since they know you trust me.” He sat down with them.

Anakin looked down. “But being a Jedi is your life,” he objected.

“And compared to you and the twins, it’s nothing,” Obi-Wan countered. “I’ve never said it, but you might as well be my brother, Anakin. Besides, I might not be a Jedi any longer, but I am still a servant of the Force. And the Republic.”

Anakin sighed. “I’m sorry you felt like you had to do that,” he offered.

“It wasn’t you that forced my hand, Anakin. It was the council and their stubborn insistence that the twins needed to be taken away.”

Padmé nodded. “Do you plan on telling anyone?” she asked.

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a long glance. “I think people already think Anakin’s left the Order, since he’s obviously breaking the Code. As for me…”

“No one would expect it,” Anakin said. “Not even Palpatine.”

Obi-Wan’s eyes lit up. “You’re right,” he said.

Padmé smiled. “So we won’t announce it,” she said. “And hope the Jedi don’t either. But we won’t hide it.”

Anakin nodded. “That makes sense to me. And we’ll need to do something more to protect the twins, if the Council is that determined to get them.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “We’ll figure out something,” he said. He looked down at Leia, gently running his hand over her head, ruffling what little hair she had. “They’ll be treated horribly if they go to the Temple. It won’t be a conscious thing, but…”

“Yes,” Anakin agreed.

Padmé took her hand off Luke’s back so she could clench her fists. “I won’t let the Jedi have them, not after the way they’ve been treating Anakin. And it might be a good idea not to announce everything, even if Palpatine wasn’t an issue. The Republic is still fragile. You might want to tell the Senators you’ve been working with, however.”

“That reminds me, how did the committees go today?” Obi-Wan asked. “The Security committee was debating about the Army, right?”

Padmé nodded. “With the Separatist crisis over, for now, we’ve managed to get them to stop production of clones, and we’re going to scale back the size of the army. But, much as it pains me to admit, having a standing army might be a good idea, so that we won’t have to rely on clones if and when something like this happens again.”

She managed a wry grin. “And I think we’ve finally figured out how to safely roll back all the powers the Chancellor had amassed. It’ll take several months, but the very first thing we managed today was a vote that whoever took up the job couldn’t stop the transfer.”

“Are we any closer to a replacement?” Obi-Wan asked.

Padmé sighed. “The vote is next week,” she said. “I’ve managed to keep my name out of the pool, mostly by pointing out that I have newborn twins and I don’t need that kind of workload right now.”

“Who are the current candidates?” Anakin asked. “I haven’t been paying too much attention to that side of the mess.”

“Bail, of course. Lott Dod, though most everyone believes he doesn’t have a chance. Garm Bel Iblis and Velic Snodod. And a few others, but they mostly threw their hats in for a joke. None of them are considered good candidates.”

“You’re going to vote for Bail, aren’t you?” Obi-Wan said.

“Of course. I suspect he’d ask me to be Vice Chancellor, but he’s still the best choice.”

“Yes, he is,” Obi-Wan said. “Well, of the serious candidates. And he’ll let us chase after Palpatine.”

“We’re private citizens now, Obi-Wan,” Anakin said with a wry smile on his face. “As long as we don’t do anything illegal, the Senate, and the Chancellor, can’t tell us what to do. Well,” he paused. “I suppose one senator can tell me what to do.” He grinned at Padmé. 

Obi-Wan huffed a brief laugh. “I suppose so.” He took a deep breath. “And as to that, we need to head to his Coruscant hideout soon,” he said. “I have an idea, based on what I studied in the Archives today. And if we really are still going after Palpatine, we’re going to need lightsabers. Our Jedi ones are out of reach…”

“Probably already broken down for parts,” Anakin muttered.

“They don’t dislike us quite that much,” Obi-Wan replied. “But, as I was saying, we’ll need lightsabers if we have to confront a Sith.”

“I know where we can get some crystals,” Anakin said. “It’ll take a trip away from Coruscant, but if we manage it, I think I know where we can get some that will suit us both. The blades might not be standard, though.”

Obi-Wan smiled. “I don’t think either of us can be considered standard anymore, if we ever were. And we do need to go to Sidious’ hideout. But the lightsabers… I get the feeling they’ll be more important.”

Anakin smiled. “Off world to get some crystals, then the hideout. Padmé, can you manage without us for a bit?”

Padmé smiled. “Anakin, I’ve managed the Senate numerous times while you were out fighting.”

Anakin grinned at her in response. “Yes, of course, but I was mostly talking about the twins.”

Obi-Wan laughed. “Anakin, they’re less than a month old, and you know Moteé and Dormé are still around.”

Padmé started laughing too. “And Threepio,” she added.

Now Anakin was laughing. “Threepio as a nanny droid,” he sputtered. 

Luke squealed and Leia started waving her hand, as if they wanted to join in the merriment.

Anakin’s grin faded. “I’m also worried about the Order.”

“We can hold off the Jedi if we need to,” Padmé assured him. “Worst comes to it, I’ll go very, very public with our dispute.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next part is definitely from Sidious' POV, and I'm planning to dig into his head a bit.


	11. In which Sidious is fooling himself

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have a wonderful 2017, and everything goes well for you. And have some Sidious POV to ring in the new year!

Anakin had left Coruscant. Sidious frowned at the datapad. It had been kept quiet, and most people hadn’t picked up on it, but Anakin and Kenobi had departed Coruscant two days ago.

Why? His twins were not even a month old, there was still so much work to be done, and Anakin had left Coruscant.

What little information Sidious could obtain suggested that he was headed in the direction of the Outer Rim, though why the boy or his Jedi Master would want to go there, Sidious couldn’t even begin to guess.

He couldn’t figure out what the boy was up to, and until he knew, he couldn’t plan for anything he did.

The images he had of Anakin leaving were not adequate. Both Anakin and Kenobi were in civilian clothes. The style was distinctly Nubian, which told Sidious that Senator Amidala had had a hand in their attire, but much simpler than most citizens of Naboo liked their clothing, which suggested that neither of them were comfortable with the Nubian sense of opulence. Sidious couldn’t seen their lightsabers, but that could just mean that the blades were hidden somewhere so that whoever they encountered thought they were simply traders. The Force whispered to him that he was wrong, it wasn’t as simple as that. What the real reason was, he didn’t know.

Should he take advantage of Anakin’s absence? Sidious shook his head. No, there was nothing he could do on Coruscant, not now.

Sidious scowled. He really should start hunting for a new Apprentice. It was clear Anakin wouldn’t be his apprentice, so if he wanted to keep the Sith Order alive, he’d need a new one.

Except… He didn’t want to search for a new Apprentice. Anakin was his perfect choice. The boy was strong, and so loyal to the people he loved. Even now, Sidious couldn’t feel any hatred in the boy for Sidious himself.

The boy would never lose his Darkness, though he might control it given time. Sidious didn’t want that for Anakin. He knew how strong Anakin was, and how strong Anakin could become, if he’d just let himself.

Sidious started to pace. He was safe here, for as long as he wanted. Surrounded as he was by the Dark Side, no one would find him here, unless they were unusually dedicated. He ignored the voice that pointed out that Anakin was often that dedicated.

So. Problems. He needed an apprentice to pass on his knowledge. He knew who he wanted as his apprentice- the one being that could surpass him. His chosen apprentice didn’t want to Turn. There were, of course, ways to force a Turn, or even just force the boy’s allegiance, but…

Sidious didn’t want to use them. He wanted the boy to join him of his own will. He wanted the boy to come to him. He wanted Anakin to truly learn the power of the Dark Side, and cast off his Jedi training. Even in the end, Sidious had been fiercely proud of Anakin for defying Windu to come to the Chancellor’s office. If Windu hadn’t listened to Anakin- and Sidious would credit the Jedi with a rare flash of insight in that moment- Anakin would surely have chosen to learn the Dark Side, and chosen freely. 

Sidious supposed the boy had made his choice, in the end. But… he’d been so close. It wouldn’t have taken much more to show Anakin the true power of the Force. If only Sidious had been able to save the boy from the Jedi’s dogma.

Sidious shook his head. Dwelling on the events of that night wasn’t helping him.

He needed to find a new Apprentice. Dathomir was out. The Nightsisters would fight any attempt there, and he did not need them as enemies, not now.

There was always the possibility of kidnapping a Jedi. But turning a Knight or Master would take too long, and a Padawan or Initiate would need too much training.

Sidious shook his head and sighed again. No, that wouldn’t work.

There were other Force traditions out in the galaxy, of course, but most of the people who followed them were too weak to become Sith. And anyone from those traditions would still need extensive retraining. 

He needed someone already trained, someone who would Turn without much effort.

No one was truly suitable. And if the Sith had to go back into hiding, then he needed a suitable apprentice. It was an issue he had to resolve before he got too old. And he would. He was the Sith Master, and he knew he would find someone to be his Apprentice.

Deep in his heart, though, he knew there was only one being he would accept as his Apprentice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sidious is really fooling himself, isn't he? I almost feel sorry for him.


	12. In which at least one Jedi isn't stupid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been trying to get the last part of this chapter to work for quite a while- and I really hope it does. The good news is, I'm almost finished with the next chapter as well, so hopefully that one will come quicker than this one did.

Padmé sighed in relief as she and Bail Organa entered his office. It had been too long a day, and she really just wanted to abandon her public face for a few minutes. Here, she could regroup for a few minutes in safety and privacy.

“At least we got word the leaders of the Techno Union have been captured,” Bail offered.

“Yes,” Padmé agreed. “Don’t mind me, I’m just out of sorts today.”

“We have managed a lot, Padmé. Don’t forget it.”

“I won’t. We’re inching away from the cliff, Bail. It’s going a lot smoother than I ever thought it would. I don’t know if I trust it.”

Bail sighed. “I agree. I don’t want to look a gift epu in the mouth, but you’re right. It’s going too well.”

Padmé scowled. “So what’s going to get in the way?” she asked. “Something has to go wrong.”

“Why?” Bail asked.

“It always has before,” Padmé said. “I can’t believe that…”

“Before, Palpatine was pulling strings,” Bail pointed out. He turned to face her. “Before, the Sith controlled the government, Padmé. Things are different now.”

She paused.

Bail smiled. “I’ve already had this talk with Breha. She’s the one who pointed it out to me,” he admitted. 

Padmé chuckled. “I suppose it makes sense,” she said. “We’re going to be decades untangling his webs, aren’t we?”

“Likely,” Bail said. “But we’ll do it. Everyone knows he was manipulating things. We just need to find his pawns and we’ll be halfway there.”

“We know some of his pawns, Bail,” Padmé said. “We just need proof.”

Bail grinned. “We’ll get it, Padmé. We’ve got our best agents working on the computers in Palpatine’s lair, we’ll find the proof.”

She smiled. “I know.”

“And Anakin didn’t even know how much he knew, but he’s been able to help with a lot,” Bail continued. “Even as hard as it’s been for him. He did care about Palpatine, after all.”

Padmé sighed. “He still does,” she admitted. “He’s committed to stopping the Sith, but…”

“I know,” Bail said. “Your husband is loyal to those who he chooses, and… you know, I think he’s loyal to Palpatine as he appeared to be, right?”

“Something like that.”

Bail made an amused sound. “I think it’s time to change the subject,” he said. “How are the twins?”

“Still keeping me up at night,” Padmé offered dryly. “How’s Breha?”

“Talking about adoption,” Bail said. “I think the time is right. There are plenty of children who will need help, and we can.”

Padmé grinned. “Excellent idea. And that’s something that needs to be done. How many war orphans are there? We’ll need to set up something to help them.”

“Too many, Padmé,” he said. “And you’re right. We need to do something for them.”

Padmé sat up. “That big fund we found- Project Stardust- it could be used.”

“The one no one knows what it is, and the people who have signed off on it aren’t talking?”

“Well, we know it’s an artificial planet of some kind, but there has to be more to it than that.”

Bail nodded. “But yes, given the funding going into it, I think we can probably appropriate at least part of it for a children’s fund.”

Padmé smiled. “Then, I was thinking. On Naboo, parents who adopt, especially if they adopt a child who wouldn’t otherwise be adopted…”

“Older children?”

“Yes, or children who are disabled in some way. Anyway, we give them tax breaks, and depending on what the child needs and how much the parents make, assistance.”

Bail nodded. “That sounds like a good program.”

Padmé smiled. “It might be hard to do, and we would need to make sure people aren’t adopting children just for the money, but…”

“There are a lot of children who need help.”

Padmé sighed. “There are a lot of everyone who needs help. But children are the most vulnerable right now.”

Bail smiled. “They are.” He flicked his data pad on. “Now, how is the Nubian program put together? I want to see if it’s scalable to the entire Republic.”

Padmé copied him. Before she could call up the files she knew she had, Bail’s comm pinged. They exchanged startled glances before he answered. “Senator Organa,” he said.

“Sir, Master Koon would like to speak with you,” Renic, his secretary, said.

Bail sighed and glanced at Padmé again. She shrugged, so he nodded. “Send him in, Renic,” he said. 

Plo entered and bowed to them both. “I have a confession, Senator,” he said. “I deceived your secretary. I need to speak with Senator Amidala, but I wanted to do so where there was at least one witness.”

Bail smirked. “Probably wise, considering the rumors I have heard, and the things the Senator has said. As long as she agrees, I have no problem being a witness.”

“What is it, Master Jedi?” Padmé asked. Obi-Wan had said that Plo had supported Anakin’s choice in that last meeting, so she could trust he wasn’t going to try to take the twins.

“First, I want you to know that I think Anakin was well within his rights to refuse to hand over the twins, and that Obi-Wan did the right thing in refusing to take the twins. Secondly, I came to warn you.”

“What is it?” Padmé asked. “And thank you.”

Plo nodded. “Master Windu is… entirely irrational when it comes to your husband. He has convinced himself that Anakin will Fall, and drag Obi-Wan down with him.”

Bail snorted at that. “The day Obi-Wan Falls is the day I declare myself Emperor,” he muttered.

Padmé flashed him a slight smile as Plo made a sound of amusement. “That is my feelings as well, Senator,” he said. “And Anakin will not Turn, not with his family to hold him in the Light.” He sighed, the sound odd in his mask. “In any case, some of the Masters are talking about forcing the issue.”

“What do you mean?” 

Plo shook his head. “I don’t know exactly. They won’t tell me, I suspect because I will never be an ally in this. But I do know they want the children. They are so strong in the Force, almost as strong as their father.”

Padmé bit her lip. “I’ll increase security,” she said. “Not that my normal security folks can handle Jedi, but it might give us some warning. Thank you for the warning, Master Koon.”

He nodded and glanced at Bail. “This next bit is for both of you- and please pass it on to Obi-Wan and Anakin. There is something wrong in the Order. I will do everything I can to combat it, as I feel I can better affect change from inside, but if I cannot fix things, I might have to follow Obi-Wan and Anakin. And there are others who will likely agree with me.”

Bail gasped. “Are you talking about a scism?”

“I hope it will not come to that,” Plo said. “But if it does, I am on the side that stays within Republic laws.


	13. In which family reunites

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hello there, last member of this linage, the one who had already left the Order! We've missed you.

Ahsoka Tano frowned as she took her small ship out of hyperspace and stared down at the desert planet of Tatooine. She wasn’t sure why the Force was urging her to go to her old Master’s home planet, but it was, and she was still a servant of the Force, so here she was.

She felt a sudden surge of anticipation. She would find what she needed down there.

Ahsoka frowned. What did she need? She had a ship, food, her last job had left her with enough credits that she would be fine for a while, and she had picked up a blaster and a pair of vibroblades to defend herself with.

She didn’t think she needed anything right now. The Force, apparently, disagreed. She sighed and headed down to one of the small cities that dotted the desert. Mos Eisley wasn’t much in the galactic scale of things, but it was the biggest spaceport on this dustball, and no one would likely pay any attention to a Togruta wandering around.

Still, she pulled up a hood to hide her markings as she left her ship. There was no hiding that she was a Togruta, but no one had to get a good look at her.

She headed for a nearby speeder lot. Hopefully, they’d have one for her to rent, since she had a feeling she’d be needing it.

Before she got there, she saw two other hooded beings. For a moment, she thought it was her master, and his master, but it couldn’t be. Just two humanoids of the same basic sizes, wearing hooded cloaks that on second glance, weren’t actually Jedi robes.

At least, that was what she thought until the taller one straightened and turned to look at her.

She tried to fade into the background, but it was no use. Anakin had seen and recognized her. He started to smile. She sighed and ducked into an alley. Better not have this reunion witnessed. Anakin followed her. “Snips,” he said, sounding surprised and pleased.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed. “Were you following me?”

Obi-Wan joined their little group. “Actually, no, unless you were, Anakin?”

Anakin shook his head. “I just knew we’d find crystals on Tatooine, Obi-Wan,” he said. “I didn’t know…” he smiled. “You look like you’re doing well for yourself, Snips,” he said. “Good.”

Ahsoka shrugged. “I managed to land on my feet,” she said. She narrowed her eyes. “Why are you here?”

Obi-Wan looked around before focusing on her. “I’m glad you’re alright, Ahsoka,” he murmured. “And it seems like in our lineage, the Masters follow the Padawans. Anakin and I have both left the Order, but we’re both sure we’ll need lightsabers, and thus, new lightsaber crystals.”

Ahsoka’s jaw dropped. “Both of you?” she squeaked.

Anakin nodded. “They aren’t… I can’t be part of the Order anymore.”

“And after the way we failed you, and what the council wanted to do to the twins…” Obi-Wan shook his head. “I could no longer remain in the Order either.” He looked around. “I believe there’s a cantina nearby. Perhaps we could talk there?” He looked at Ahsoka. “That is, if you want to. I know we didn’t exactly part on the best of terms…”

Ahsoka hugged him. “I bet you argued against everything, didn’t you, but the other Masters just didn’t listen. Just like normal.”

Obi-Wan smiled briefly, sadly. “Something like that,” he said quietly.

Once they had found a table and gotten some drinks, Anakin leaned forward. “You are doing alright, Snips?”

“I have a ship now- won it in a dice game- and I’ve been hauling uh… mostly legal supplies.”

“Relax,” Obi-Wan said. “We’re all private citizens now, as long as you’re not smuggling something harmful, I don’t care.”

Ahsoka shrugged. “No, mostly medicine.”

Anakin smirked. “Good,” he said. “I’m sure it’s needed.”

“And a lot of places have embargoes over the stupidest things,” Ahsoka said. “I mean, some places won’t even let cough suppressants in.”

Anakin blinked at her. “Religious reasons?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Mostly just stupidity, though. One planet has a group of people convinced that bacta causes infant developmental syndromes, and they’ve forced laws in to outlaw it.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. “Stupidity is universal, it seems,” he said.

Anakin nodded. “I’m glad you’ve found something to keep yourself occupied, if not exactly safe.” He gently took her hand. “I missed you, Snips.”

Her eyes burned, and she blinked back tears. “Even though I left?”

Anakin sighed. “I wish you hadn’t,” he admitted. “But it was the right thing for you. You couldn’t have stayed, not after the way the Council treated you. I’m proud you were able to recognize that.”

“And the way we treated you was horrible,” Obi-Wan added. “Anakin is right. You were very brave and wise that day.”

She was not going to cry in front of her Master and Grandmaster. Never. She took a deep breath. “That… thank you,” she finally managed. If her voice was a little watery, neither commented on it. Their eyes looked a little bright, anyway.

The three of them took a moment to regain composure. Anakin cleared his throat. “You’ve actually arrived at the perfect time. Obi-Wan and I were going to head out tomorrow.”

“To the East?” Ahsoka asked.

Anakin smiled. “You’re feeling the pull as well?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Yes, we’re heading East. We’re fairly certain that we’ll find the crystals we need in that direction,” Obi-Wan said. “If you’re feeling led in that direction, you’re welcome to join us. Unless you don’t want to, or you’ve already replaced your lightsabers.”

Ahsoka blinked. “I… haven’t, not yet,” she admitted. “I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to.”

Anakin smiled. “It’s generally understood that Jedi who have left the order should surrender their lightsabers, but there’s no rule against building new ones.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “And considering things- the Sith Master is still out there- we should be prepared.”

Ahsoka nodded. “I’ll join you, then.”

Anakin smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, yes, the group who think bacta causes "infant development syndromes" are, yes, me making fun of anti-vaxxers. I couldn't really resist.


	14. In which lightsabers are revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Massive writers block on this necessary chapter. Necessary, but I wanted to skip it so much. And, in fact, I changed a lot. I realized that having "looking for crystals" shenanigans weren't going to advance the plot at all.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not entirely happy with this chapter, but at least I've got the set up done and we can dive into (I really hope the characters cooperate) the fun stuff.

Padmé waited, shielding her face as the two ships landed. Anakin hadn’t said who was on the other ship, though she had her suspicions. 

She was so glad Anakin and Obi-Wan were back, and if she was right, she’d be happy to see the third being too.

Obi-Wan left the first ship, a lightsaber on his belt. She smiled as she embraced him. “You were successful, good!” she said as she stepped back. “How was Tatooine?”

“Hot and sandy,” Obi-Wan said. “Depressing. Pretty much unchanged, on the whole. Anakin’s doing shut down, he’ll be out soon.”

“And who’s on the second ship?” Padmé asked.

Obi-Wan smiled. “An old friend,” he said, voice warm.

Anakin ducked as he left the ship. It was a common sight- most ship ramps just weren’t tall enough for him. He had a lightsaber again as well.

The second ship opened and… it looked like Padmé had been right. Ahsoka Tano strolled out with a soft, slightly uncertain smile. “Ahsoka!” Padmé exclaimed as she swept over to the younger woman and embraced her. “It’s good to see you again.” She pulled back and studied the Togruta. She looked healthy, and happy, and she wore new lightsabers. “And you need to stop growing. It’s bad enough those two tower over me.”

Ahsoka snickered. “Sorry, Senator,” she apologized. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Padmé, Ahsoka, please. You’re family, and if I managed to get Obi-Wan to stop using my titles, you can stop too.”

Ahsoka smiled and glanced at Obi-Wan.

“So, how did you find each other?” Padmé asked as she started herding the three former Jedi off the pad.

We ran into each other on Tatooine.”

“The Force was being pushy,” Ahsoka added to Obi-Wan’s statement.

Padmé smiled. “You’ll have to tell me all about it,” she said. “It’s not long until dinner, would you like to join us?”

Ahsoka smiled. “I’d love to.”

The four of them headed into the apartment, where Anakin disappeared toward the nursery.

A second later, Obi-Wan followed him. Padmé shook her head and smiled. “I’ve finally found a way to keep Anakin calm,” she mock-whispered to Ahsoka. “Put one of the twins in his arms, and he’ll sit quietly for hours.”

Ahsoka managed a small smile. She still looked uncertain, but was clearly trying to hide it. Padmé sighed and went to get her a drink. “Do you still like Pulish juice?” she asked.

Ahsoka made a non-descript, agreeable noise, so Padmé brought some out to her.

“I have a suspicion that Anakin is going to be asking you for help, Ahsoka,” Padmé said as they both sat down. She grinned. “We’ve got a lot on our plates right now, and we can definitely use all the help we can get.”

“I’m not going to help the Jedi,” Ahsoka bit out.

Anakin slipped in, holding Luke. Obi-Wan followed with Leia. “We don’t want you to,” he said. “In fact, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about, after you met the twins.”

And with that, all serious talk was abandoned for introducing the twins to Ahsoka, and playing with them until dinner.

It was only once the twins were put to bed that they four adults returned to their conversation. Anakin started it, taking a deep breath and focusing on Ahsoka. “Obi-Wan and I are going to be trying to find Palpatine,” he said. “But… we have another problem. It’s the reason both Obi-Wan and I left the Order.”

“The Council, though only a majority and not all of them, want to take the twins.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widened. “And you don’t want them to,” she said.

“No,” Anakin and Padmé said at the same time. 

“But Master Windu and his faction don’t care,” Obi-Wan added. “And we’re worried they might try something.”

Ahsoka took a deep breath.

Padmé smiled slightly. “Would you be willing to…” she frowned, not sure how to put it.

“Ahsoka, no matter what, we don’t want the twins to go to the Order,” Anakin said softly. “I… if something happens to me, and Obi-Wan, will you teach them? And while we’re trying to find Palpatine, will you stay with Padmé and the twins, keep them safe?”

Ahsoka nodded. “Do you really think I can?” she asked.

“Yes,” Anakin said. “You’re so capable, Snips, I know you can.”

She glanced at Obi-Wan, then nodded. “Alright,” she said. “What else do I need to know?”

Padmé started, telling her- and Obi-Wan and Anakin- about Plo’s visit. They made tentative plans to contact him, then turned to other matters.

Finally, Padmé made a quick, impatient noise. “Anakin, your new lightsaber, what color is it? Is it still blue?”

Anakin laughed. “No. But we knew that would happen. Tatooine’s natural crystals don’t lend themselves to blue. Green, perhaps, but not blue. And…”

“Well, none of us ended up with green blades,” Obi-Wan said. 

Ahsoka stood and pulled both of her blades off and lit them. Padmé’s eyes widened at the pure white of both blades. “Oh,” she breathed.

Anakin and Obi-Wan also stood and lit their lightsabers. Obi-Wan’s was a bright yellow, while Anakin’s was a fiery orange. “They’re so different,” she marveled.

Anakin smiled at her. “We’re not Jedi,” he said. “Jedi trained, and Light, yes, but not Jedi.”

“And our lightsabers reflect that,” Obi-Wan finished.

“But… why those colors?”

Anakin shrugged as they all deactivated the sabers and sat back down. “They’re the right colors for us. No idea why, but they are.”

Obi-Wan hesitated then shrugged as well. “It’s a fairly obscure branch of Force philosophy, Padmé, and I don’t know enough to explain it. But Anakin is right. These lightsabers are the right ones for us as we are now.”

Padmé frowned, but it was clear the three of them couldn’t explain any further. 

“So, what next?” Ahsoka asked, just before the silence became awkward.

“We go after Palpatine,” Anakin said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, Ahsoka has the same color lightsabers as she has in Rebels. And yes, I did have a reason, though not a very profound reason, for picking yellow and orange for Obi-Wan and Anakin. It's hard to tell, but in some of the shots, the twin suns of Tatooine are orange and yellow. I just liked the idea. 
> 
> I cannot promise any timing on the next chapter. I'm dealing with a very busy work cycle, which is guaranteed to go at least to mid August, possibly longer. So, late August is probably the earliest possible, but I'm not going to guarantee it.


	15. In Which Plo Koon has *things* to say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize it's been a long time since I updated this one, but I hope you all will enjoy this next bit.

Plo Koon sighed as he eyed Mace Windu. The man had been increasingly silent on the issue of the Skywalker twins, which worried Plo. The Council meeting was just breaking up, though they hadn’t yet filled Obi-Wan’s seat. No one could agree on who the new member should be. Personally, Plo wanted Aayla Secura on the Council, but he hadn’t had a chance to discuss it with her.

“Master Koon,” Mace said as they left the chamber at the same time. “Would you speak privately with me?”

“Of course, Master Windu,” Plo said. Mace led him to a small, shielded meeting room and set the shield as Plo sat down.

“What is it, old friend?” Plo asked.

Mace sighed. “My meditations have turned Lighter,” he said. “But there are still shadows in the galaxy.”

“Of course there are,” Plo said. “Sidious did escape, after all.”

Mace sighed. “Yes. And… Obi-Wan and Skywalker.”

Plo shook his head. “Mace… they are firmly in the Light, I am sure of it.”

“Skywalker almost Fell,” Mace protested.

“And yet he didn’t,” Plo replied. “And we have all been tempted at times. You and I both included.”

Mace scowled. “Neither you nor I had Sith Lord trying to Turn us.”

“Then you must give Skywalker credit where it is due,” Plo replied. “Few Jedi could have held out against such temptation.”

“But he still stands far closer to the Dark than he should.”

Plo sighed. “And yet, he uses his ties to hold to the Light. Surely you noticed during the past three years. Obi-Wan, and what Obi-Wan would think, held him back many times during the worst of the war. He stayed in the Light to help Ahsoka. And it is only the Senator that held him back that last day. It might not be the Jedi way, my friend, but it seems to work for him.”

“It’s against everything he was ever taught.”

“Not everything,” Plo said. “We have to remember, his mother would have taught him differently. He spent over a decade trying to conform to the Jedi teaching, Mace. But that is not the life for him. It is to his credit that he realized it.”

“I still fear his attachments will lead him to Darkness.”

Plo sighed. “It is possible, of course. But the same could be said for my attachments, or yours. Young Anakin is not going to Fall, not while he has someone there for him. If we took everything away from him, that would be when I would fear a Fall.” Plo sighed.

“That is why attachment is so dangerous,” Mace said.

“And yet, Anakin did not allow his attachment to the Chancellor, however false the Chancellor was, to sway him to the Dark.”

Mace looked down. “I realize that, Plo,” he said. “He was… he was incredible, that day,” he said. “It could have gone either way. He was perfectly balanced between Light and Dark, and it was amazing. One little push, and he would have gone either way.”

“Is that why you agreed to arrest Sidious?”

Mace nodded. “That, and his words on the Jedi Way,” he admitted. “Plo, I fear that if I had continued my assault, it would have pushed Skywalker past the point of no return.”

“So why do you still fear him?”

Mace scowled down at the table between them. “Because he’s still on that edge! No one seems to notice, but if he ever… he is still so close to a Fall, Plo. I can feel it. He could so easily Fall, and Obi-Wan won’t even notice. He’s too blind to Skywalker’s faults.”

Plo sighed. “Obi-Wan is not blind to young Anakin’s faults, Mace. He just prefers not to harp on them. And Obi-Wan is one of the things holding Anakin to the Light. Mace, I want you to think about something. Anakin had no reason to trust you- the way you treated him those last few weeks was abominable. And yet… he learned his friend was a Sith Lord, and took the information straight to you. Yes, he disobeyed when you told him to stay in the Temple, but he was right to follow. He stopped you from taking a step into the Dark.”

Plo stood up. “He could have entered the room and attacked you, Mace. He didn’t. He strove to remain a Jedi to the end. And he saved you as well. Think about it.”

Plo deactivated the shielding and headed out. He had somewhere he needed to be, and he hoped his old friend would think on what Plo had said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahsoka tried not to smile as she felt Plo’s pleased shock at seeing her as she answered the door to Padmé’s apartment. His mask hid most of the reaction, but the Force rippled with his emotions. “Little ‘Soka,” he said, sounding pleased. “It is good to see you healthy. I am glad you have made your way to a safe place.”

Ahsoka wasn’t sure how she felt about Master Plo, but she smiled at him. “Eventually,” she agreed. “I…”

Plo bowed to her. “I owe you an apology, little one,” he said. “One that I fear cannot be strong enough. But… I am sorry, Ahsoka Tano. I should not have allowed the Council to expel you.”

Ahsoka froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Ahsoka, are you alright?” Obi-Wan asked as he came up the hallway, clearly coming to see what the holdup was.

She turned to look at him. “I’m…” she took a deep breath. “Yes.” She turned back to Plo. “I understand, Master Plo,” she said. “And… I forgive you.”

His tusks flexed in what she recognized as a smile. “I did have a purpose for my visit. May I come in?”

“As long as you aren’t trying to take the twins, or to convince Anakin and Padmé to give them up, you’re welcome here,” Obi-Wan said.

Plo inclined his head. “I do believe it’s their choice. I’ll ask, since I know the others on the Council will… be most infuriating if I don’t, but I’ll only ask the once.”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “That’s certainly fair. Come in, Master Koon. We’re about to have dinner, but I believe there’s a soup that you can eat, if you want to join us.”

Plo nodded. “I would,” he said. “And I need to talk to you and young Anakin,” he said. “I have news.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Of course,” he said.

Ahsoka followed them into the dining room, where the others were waiting. She tried not to smile, but her lips kept twitching. Plo was going to love the twins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I don't know when the next update will come. Hopefully less than 6 months from now.


	16. In which Anakin figures something out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hopefully less than six months", I said.
> 
> Um. I'm alive and this story is alive. I'm not making any promises on when the next chapter is coming, except to say that it will come.

Anakin hated having to come to Palpatine’s quarters. It seemed like every time they did, they found some new piece of Sith lore or evidence of just what Palpatine had planned. Case in point, Anakin frowned as he stared down at the table in front of him. A Sith holocron sat before him, though he was very carefully shielding himself from it.

“Could this be used to track Palpatine?” Senator Bel Iblis asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head. “No,” he said. He’d been the one to find the holocron, and he still looked faintly sick after accidentally handling it. “It’s… no.”

Anakin took over. “A Sith holocron can open two ways. The first, a Force user will use the Dark Side to open it. The second, the gatekeeper will chose to open it, and interact with anyone around. If they are Force strong individuals, it will attempt to Turn them. If they are not, it will attempt to turn them into servants of the Sith. It’s not safe- not like this. We need to hand this over to the Jedi Order. There’s a spot in the archive where Sith holocrons can be safely stored.”

Bel Iblis frowned. “Can you prove that? It’s not that I don’t believe you, I do, but others won’t.”

“Only that it makes me sick to my stomach to handle it,” Obi-Wan said. “That much Darkness…” The top of the holocron split open. “And that’s what Anakin meant by activating on their own,” Obi-Wan interrupted himself. “Senator, be careful.”

A small figure flickered- a man in dark robes. “Hmph,” he said after he studied the three beings. “Two Jedi and a Corellian.”

Anakin smirked. “A Sith holocron,” he returned. “Left behind when a Sith ran to save his own hide.”

The holographic figure drew himself up. “I am Lord Rivan, boy, you will treat me with respect!”

Anakin snorted. “I’ll treat you with all the respect Sith deserve,” he retorted. “Obi-Wan, you should probably call the Temple, not me.”

Obi-Wan nodded and turned aside to make the call. Anakin kept his attention on the holocron.

Bel Iblis was studying it as well. “Who was Lord Rivan?” he asked Anakin.

Anakin shrugged. “I’m not an expert on Sith history,” he said. “I think he was a Sith Lord about two thousand years ago, but I don’t know if he was known for anything. Except that his name is a corruption of Revan.”

Rivan tilted his head up and refused to speak further. Anakin kept his shields high as Knight Garen Muln- Obi-Wan’s friend- arrived. Garen smiled at Anakin and Obi-Wan before turning his attention to the holocron. “You weren’t kidding, Obi-Wan,” he said. “That thing is nasty.”

Obi-Wan chuckled. “I don’t want you taking that thing back alone,” he said. 

“Oh, don’t worry. Master Nu is on her way. She’s bringing something to hold it.”

“I don’t like being ignored,” Rivan snapped.

Bel Iblis tilted his head and, a small smirk on his face, turned to Garen. “Knight Muln, I assume you are well?” he asked.

Garen gave an answering smirk. “Very well,” he said. “Now that the war is pretty much over, thanks to Anakin, I’ve been finally getting my knee looked at.”

“Your knee?”

“Yes,” Garen said. “My subspecies of humanity tends to have knee issues, especially after thirty standard. I’ve been noticing problems for the last year or so, but I’ve had to keep putting off anything more than pain relief. I’m finally getting it treated. I have surgery next week, and once that’s done I should be fine until I’m in my eighties or later.”

Anakin knew the knee issue was minor, but it was a way to ignore Rivan.

Nu arrived then, and narrowed her eyes. She ignored Anakin and Obi-Wan as much as she could, but it still took the four of them to maneuver the holocron into the special carrying case, Rivan spitting threats all the while.

Garen waved as he and Nu left. Anakin breathed a sigh of relief as they did. “Are you alright?” he asked Obi-Wan.

“Yes, I’m fine,” Obi-Wan replied. “But I hope there’s no more holocrons.”

Bel Iblis was frowning in thought. “The way she acted… you two aren’t Jedi anymore, are you?” he asked.

Anakin and Obi-Wan glanced at each other for a moment. “We are not members of the Order,” Obi-Wan finally confirmed. 

Bel Iblis hissed out a curse in Old Corelli. “Why haven’t you said anything?”

“Some people know,” Obi-Wan replied. “We just haven’t announced it to the galaxy. It’s our own private business.”

“Besides, I thought the galaxy had already decided that I’d left the Order,” Anakin added absently as he picked up a datapad. He wasn’t sure why he’d picked it up, until he flicked it on.

A set of planetary coordinates were the first thing to show up. Anakin didn’t recognize the coordinates, but he carefully pulled out his own datapad and copied them. They were important, he just knew it.

“Coordinates?” Bel Iblis asked as he read over Anakin’s shoulder.

“I’m not sure to where,” Anakin said. “But…”

“Let me see,” Obi-Wan said.

Anakin handed over the data pad. Obi-Wan inhaled sharply as he read them. 

“Master Kenobi?” Bel Ibiss asked.

“These are the coordinates to Korriban. The Sith homeworld.”

Suddenly, Anakin knew why those coordinates were important. 

Obi-Wan turned to look at him, apparently recognizing that sudden feeling. Anakin shook his head sharply.

“So, just more information on the Sith,” Bel Iblis said. Anakin kept quiet, because he needed to talk to Obi-Wan first. 

After a few more hours searching through Palpatine’s quarters- discovering minor bits of the Sith plan- they left and Bel Iblis separated from them to head back to his office. No doubt the senator was going to write up his report on the whole thing.

“What is it, Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked once they were in the speeder and heading home for the night.

“That’s where he is,” Anakin said. “That’s where Palpatine is. Korriban.”

Obi-Wan inhaled sharply. “Of course,” he said.

“Now what?” Anakin asked.

Obi-Wan glanced at him. “We can try your plan, if you still want.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. It had been a dream, but he’d never thought… “Yes,” he said softly. “I do.”

Obi-Wan nodded. “Then we need to go to Korriban.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, that is Rivan, the same Sith from You Shall Become (Me). I love how he got his name, and honestly, I am very fond of the old Sith. That said, this should be the only time you see him in this story. Just a little Easter Egg, mostly to make myself giggle.
> 
> Ok, things are about to go nuclear on the story. I have everything outlined, I just have to write it. ("Just")

**Author's Note:**

> This will be a very family and relationship driven story. Not all of those relationships will be romantic. In fact, Anakin and Padme will likely have the only romantic relationship in the story (at least, the only one that will impact the plot. I'll probably mention a few other such relationships). Friendships and families of choice will play a huge part in the story.
> 
> And yes, Anakin is kinda-sorta playing Luke's role from ROTJ. That said, they are different men, so the way they go about it is different. And Darth Vader and Darth Sidious are also very different men, and respond to very different things.


End file.
